


they're burning all the witches (even if you aren't one)

by Daisy_Anne



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Bullying, Coming of Age, F/M, Girl problems, Girls Being Friends, More tags too, and kids being mean in general, and society being society, because nancy mike and holly should get closer throughout the years, but not ted, eleven adjusting to society, eleven bonding with the wheelers, eleven is kind of OOC in this one so, eleven starting school, karen wheeler being a good mom, more characters to add - Freeform, siblings banter, siblings protecting each other, starting school, ted wheeler's a+ parenting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-21
Updated: 2017-11-22
Packaged: 2019-02-04 23:57:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12782433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daisy_Anne/pseuds/Daisy_Anne
Summary: "Us girls, we’re always going to be boxed into something we’re not. Always labelled like dolls in factory. And even then, people still wants to bend us, mold us into something that desires them; not a little bit less and not a little bit more."OrEl and Max, navigating life, one issue at a time.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so I'm new to this fandom, and this is practically the first fic i have made in a while. it's going to circle around the paradoxical issues of being girls (and, frankly, teenagers in general), and how the girls in stranger things navigate their way through it. Eleven here is a little bit OOC, but that was because she was kind of confused and nervous and cautious in beginning something completely foreign to her. I hope I did her character justice, and I hope I did Max's too! I so want these girls to be best friends like the boys are, because that love triangle/jealousy trope is getting old. Let my girls support girls!

Fear was something Jane ‘El’ Hopper had gotten used to.

From cold lab experiments to her own experiences in the Void, the Upside Down, and any other in-between dimensions, El had grown familiar with the cold, intrusive feeling creeping up her chest. She had to, after all. Fear was, in a way, a part of her. She was always so cautious, so paranoid of everything remotely seemed as a threat. Fear was something she had to maintain in her system in order to survive.

When she closed the gate, she thought finally, the feeling would go away, and she could be freed.

But the coke decorating the front of her overall begged to differ.

Eleven gulped, feeling the familiar wave of coldness creeping back to her. Her stomach churned from the lunch she hadn’t eaten, and it took her a few calming thoughts consisting of Hopper, Eggos, and Mike smiling, before she could properly breathe again.

It all started with her new friends—well, considering the situation, she supposed they weren’t her friends anymore—who approached two days ago, on her first day at school. Brenda, Kristin and Snow had all seemed so nice, explaining her about things she grew curious about, and talking about remotely anything. They had been so welcoming to her nervousness, making El almost forget the fact that she didn’t share any first period classes with Mike, Dustin, Lucas or even Will. El had liked talking to them, not as much as she liked hanging out with the boys, but enough to sit with them at lunch when they begged her to, because, hey, wasn’t this what friends do? Besides, practically everyone in her life had advised her to find more friends, so this must be a good thing, right?

The only thing she was confused at was how fast Brenda and her groups ushered her from the hallway when El was about to run to Mike the minute she saw him. But Kristin reasoned that hey, they were going to be late for her next period, which was English and El knew that she needed to work extra hard for English, so she relented, resettling to secret longing stares exchanged with him instead.

In fact, none of her Monday schedule matched with Mike, not even lunch break, but in English, she was in the same class with Will, who was kind enough to pat the seat next to him, signaling welcome. El was about to plop in next to him—if only once again, Brenda didn’t drag her out and practically pulled her to the seat next to Snow.

Will stared at her, bewildered for a moment, before sighing and turning his head back to the black board. He was painfully alone for the rest of the class.

“Ew, that kid is weird,” Said Kristin, loud-whispering her opinion to which Snow responded with a giggle. “Didn’t he, like, came back from the dead or something? Must be zombie. That’s what people said about him.” She added

“He disappeared,” El tried to interject, hoping to change the note Kristin used to refer Will. “To the Upside Down.”

It took three solid seconds for her new friends to react, but then they giggled, and Snow pat Eleven’s back. “Nice, Jane,” That was her name to the world, now, _Jane._ “He is kind of crazy, even you would think his brain is upside down.”

That wasn’t what El meant, but seeing the three girls laughed in discreet, she somehow lost her voice to correct them—instead finding herself to this nervous feeling plaguing her insides, as if she was afraid of them.

But why would she?

When the day was finally over and everyone said goodbyes, El bolted as fast as she could from the building to locate her friends—the boys and, by grudging extention, Max. “Hey,” Mike said, softly smiling when he saw her. Eleven immediately hugged him, soaking his warmth to her body. She liked Mike’s embraces, they made her feel _safe._

Only, when she released him, his smile didn’t quite reached his eyes, unlike usual. “What’s wrong?” Eleven asked, caressing his cheek. She realized, then, that most of her friends were wearing the same smile; cautious and somewhat pained.

“Nothing,” Mike immediately clarified, taking her hand. “Just... surprised at your new friends, that’s all.” He said, kindly.

“What’s wrong with my new friends?” Asked El, tentatively. The gnawing feeling she had felt when Kristin talked about Will returned, and she looked at Mike expectantly.

“They’re just, um, the most popular girls in school,” Mike said, scratching his head. El had a feeling that he—and frankly, all members to the party—was about to add something, but decided against it. “But now that school’s over, let’s head out to my house, we can play D&D and I can make a new campaign just to include you and Max...”

Speaking of Max, El realized that she was the only one out of the group who didn’t even bother to smile at her.

Instead, she looked at her with something akin to... _pity?_

Why would she pity her?

* * *

 

That was two days ago. Now she knew why.

It had been her third day at school, and El was getting tired of being the center of attention; Brenda, Kristin and Snow seemed to be hellbent on attracting everyone down the hallway, and El, being subject of intrusive observation practically her whole life, hated the oggling eyes trailing her new group. She was also sick of being able to see Mike only after the bell rang. She could only see him, fleeting down the corridors, not even a chance to call him before Brenda/Kristin/Snow ushered/dragged/distracted her somewhere else. But above all, she hated it when the girls making fun of Will’s shyness, or Dustin’s lisp, or Lucas’ skin. She tried to correct them but with her limited vocabulary, they were only either looking very confused, or catching her words the wrong way.

So when the next class began—Biology, the first lesson in a week she and Mike shared class with—she decided to take the seat next to Mike before the three girls could stop her.

“Jane,” Kristin nudged her, “Come on, let’s take a seat at the back.” She said, throwing a conspicuous glare at Mike while she was at it.

“No,” Jane said, defiantly. “Want to be with Mike.”

At this, the three girls seemed to be baffled, but before they could react, Mrs. Anderson had walked in, and they were forced to rush into their respective seats.

Mike looked at her like she was a hero and she was in a huge trouble at the same time. “You sure you want to be with me?” He asked, warily, while continuously stealing a glance at the girls three seats behind them.

El was very confused. “Of course I do.” She said. “Why do you ask?”

Instead of answering, Mike took her hand under the table, caressing it. And for a while, El didn’t need to hear his words. She subtly leaned to him, the gnawing feeling temporarily dissipated. When the bell rang, signaling their lunchtime, El and Mike walked hand-in-hand to the cafetaria, the former completely forgetting her girl friends behind her.

Until—

“I can’t believe you chose frog face over us.”

They came at her table; the one she shared with the party plus Max. El turned, surprised at the menacing tone the girls use at her. “Frog... face?” She asked, confused.

“Wheeler! And his gang!” Brenda waved a free hand to Mike as if he wasn’t there and listening. “Seriously, Hopper, after all we did to you?” Her tone was sharp, reminding El of when she did something bad in the lab and papa caught her. “You’re embarrassing us.”

El gulped. She didn’t _understand._ Mike was kind, and great, and all the things in between. And the party was part of the first bunch who accepted her for who she was, so why hanging out with such nice people a source of embarrassment? “Leave us alone,” Mike said, his tone dismissive and angry.

“ _Weave us awone,_ aw, Wheeler, what are you gonna do about it?” Teased Kristin, forcefully pulling El by the hand. El gasped, remembering the times when the lab employee dragged her from her room to be tested. The cold sensation washed into her system, and her face paled. “Last chance, Jane. Us or them?”

“Hey dumb blondes!” Max suddenly stood, flipping a finger. “He said leave us alone!”

Instead, Brenda did something else; she poured her coke to El’s clothes.

“ _El!”_

“Oops, sorry, my hand slipped.” Brenda said in a sing-song voice, and El knew that she wasn’t sorry. They were the central attention of the cafetaria now, and El could see some people snickering, and even openly laughing... at her.

“Jane got coked. Jane got coked. Jane got _coked_!”

“Enjoy hanging out with the _losers,_ Jane.”

It was suffocating; the chants, the laughter, the intrusive stares. El blinked, rapidly, feeling the old cold sensation she always felt back in the lab crawling back at her.

Before Mike could hold her, she already ran from the cafetaria.

* * *

 

“Thought I’d find you here.”

El cursed the fact that she forgot to lock the toilet’s door.

It was Max, her fiery hair seemingly all over the place and her pale face reddening. She was heaving, too, as if she had been running. “Go away.” El said, burying her face back to her knees. She had been crying, the fear spreading through her like gas-fueled fire.

“Nope.” Max popped the ‘p’ at the end. “Not gonna happen.” She said, leaning to the thin walls that separated one stall from another.

El looked up, annoyed at her presence. “How did you find me?” She asked, half-curious and half-angered. She was always somewhat angry at her, even though she knew now that Max was with Lucas and Mike wouldn’t even spare a glance at her. Perhaps because she felt that Max robbed Mike’s smile from her—the smile he used to reserve only just for _her._

“Oh, easy,” Max blew a strand of loose hair. “I just followed the sound of your despair and see where it led me.”

El slammed the door so quick with her powers, the hinges were as good as broken. She buried her head again, the sugary-sickening smell of coke surrounding her and she felt nauseous.

“Okay, okay, sorry!” Max squeaked from the outside. “I didn’t mean to—argh!” She heard her mumble words unknown to her vocabulary, with a similiar tone Dustin use when he cursed at something. “Look, that came out wrong. Just, listen,” said Max, and from her point of view, El could see her, peeking from the underside of the door, half her face covered with fiery red hair. “I brought you spare clothes.”

“Spare... clothes?” Said El, unsure.

“Yeah, like, clothes you can use to replace the one that bimbo ruined.” Max explained, “Just, please, open the door?” She asked—no, begged, and finally, finally El relented, moving the lock with her mind.

Max immediately scrambled to stand, clearing her throat. “Thanks,” She said, offering her a messily folded clothings. “It’s mine, but like, you can use it.” She quickly explained to El. “I think we’re roughly the same size...”

They were not, apparently, and El was a tad too short for Max’s pants, so she ended up having to fold the ends twice over. But other than that, she looked decent—if one would ignore the puffy eyes she’d been sporting in the past half-an-hour.

“Wash your face,” Max told her gently, “Don’t rub your eyes with your hands, just run the cold water down your face, it’ll reduce the redness and puffiness, I swear.” She said, handing her a handkerchief. “lightly dab your eyes with this instead.”

“Okay,” El accepted the fabric and did as she were told. Max watched observantly as El finished taking care of herself. “I look horrible.” She decided, staring at her own reflection to the mirror.

“Nah, you’re not.” Max disagreed. “And even if you are, none of us would give a shit. Not even Wheeler.” She added, helpfully. El let out a small smile before it faltered as fast as it came, her brows narrowed.

“Max,” El started, tentatively, “Why did Brenda threw me coke?” She asked, turning to red head next to her.

“Because she’s a dumb bitch, that’s why.” Max said with a scathing tone that made El jumped in surprise. “Sorry—just,” Max ran her hand through her hair, “People like Brenda... don’t hang out with people like us.” She jabbed her thumb to her chest. “And for you, who they thought as a member of their little cult, to hang out with us, is probably seen as an insult.”

“cult? In-sult?” El threw her a befuddled face.

Max chuckled. “I forget you’re new to this word thing,” She said, “Okay, so cult is like, a club but with super obsessive members, and insult is, erm, a thing that offends people. That makes people feel ashamed, or hurt, or something.”

El narrowed her eyes even more. “So I’m hurting Brenda by hanging out with you?” She asked, and the gnawing feelings were back, because even without her conscience, she was already making other people feel awful, and—

“What? _No!”_ Max vehemently negated the question. “No. Look, Brenda was the jerk here, so don’t you dare feel guilty for her actions.” She said, solemnly. “Just because she felt insulted by your actions doesn’t actually mean that it was an insult.” She added, when El still looked at her expectantly.

“But why don’t they like you?”

“Well, because in the social hierarchy, they’re the Queen Bees and we’re the, well, losers.”

“hi-e-rar-khy?”

“Um. Basically we’re in a different social groups so we shouldn’t be friends with one another.” Max elaborated, scratching the back of her head.

“But why _shouldn’t_ you be friends?” El pressed on, looking more confused, now than ever. Max narrowed her eyes and tried to come up with a good answer, only to realize that there were none.

“I guess it’s... because people say so?” Max concluded, face looking equally as unsure as El’s was.

“...that’s stupid.”

“It is, isn’t it?” Max agreed, before falling into a comfortable silence. “Hey, wanna know what’s _not_ stupid?” She asked, turning to El with big grin.

“What?”

”Wheeler Punched Brenda. Square up her jaw. She’s in the infirmary now.” Max demonstrated the punch dramatically, and El gasped. The image of Mike hurting someone was foreign to her, because he had always been so kind and so considerate whenever he was with her and/or his friends...

“No _Way!”_

“Yes way.”

“Is he okay?” El asked, worriedly.

“Yeah, well, some bruises in his knuckles, but other than that he’s fine. And I don’t think the principal is going to give him much trouble anyway, since we need him to win the national science fair because it’ll boost up the school’s overall ranks and he can’t compete if he’s suspended...” Max slowed down when she realized Eleven’s look of confusion.

“... I don’t understand.” El finally admitted.

“Basically, your boyfriend owns the principal’s favors.” Mx simplified the sentence. “Now.” She clasped her hands together, “Since we’ve already been _very_ late to the last class of the day, why don’t we just ditch school and, erm,” Max paused, thinking, “Oh! I know! Grab an ice cream in Dairy Queen!” She suggested, excitedly. When El looked at her in wonder at the word ‘ice cream’, Max took her hand. “Oh, trust me, you are going to love ice cream.”

So they squared up their bags and walked out the bathroom, linking hands together. All seemed to reassemble back to its axis in El’s world, until—

“Max,” El slowed down, “I... don’t have a deskmate anymore.” She realized, then, that since Brenda threw her coke and Kristin and Snow had laughed at her, she wouldn’t want to sit with them no longer. “What am I going to do?” She asked, worriedly.

“Well,” Max said, thinking. “You can always sit with me,” She beamed at El, “We always share the same schedule, after all, and I sit alone like, all the time.”

And that was when El truly remembered her first day in class, when she purposefully ignored Max’s hopeful looks as she pat the seat next to her and chose to sit next to Brenda instead. She knew that Max wouldn’t steal Mike from her, knew that Max wasn’t inserted to the party to replace her, and yet El had still acted like a jerk. Look where that had gotten her now.

“Oh. Yes.” El said, face burning red with embarrassment. “I’m—sorry,” She forced the words out from her mouth, “was not nice. To you.”

Max grinned and ruffled El by her curls. “All that matters is right now, girl.” She said, much to El’s surprise. “Now, I have a promise to take you to this desert heaven...”

El grinned, and followed her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On her first dinner with Mike's family, El learned that apparently, too much isn't enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is three years after the events in season 1. El and Mike is 15 in this one, and the year is 1986. Nancy is taking a gap year before college while working as a junior teacher (idk if it's a real system in US, but in my country some schools offer their smartest students graduating to do like this paid internship thing to help teach younger classmen in specific subjects, it really boosts their academic resume and could help for references in the future). the unbearably sexist conversation is based off on real transcript i had with my aunts, who are hellbent on believing that girls shouldn't go to more than high school because it'll be a waste of time and people won't handle it well. well, look at me now aunties, I'm a honor student studying international law who makes her own living. take that.

El had always liked Mike’s basement; not only because it was warm and comfortable, but because it reminded her on the first time she felt wanted. Cared for.

Today was one of those days, where the party managed to gather round and play D&D. Mike, as usual, was being the Dungeon Master, directing the whole game. El’s character had died long ago, taken by the demogorgon, but she didn’t mind; seeing Mike so comfortable in his element, face beaming and everything, had been more than enough compensation. She leaned on him, observing as he narrated the whole game in excitement.

“Hey losers,”

“Gosh, Nancy!” Mike exclaimed, as all members of the party jumped in surprise, accidentally knocking down the figures on the boardgame in the process. “We were _playing!”_ He glared to her sister, whose head was apparent from the top of the stairs.

“Yeah, well, playtime’s over, kids,” Nancy said as she walked down the basement, a playful smile evident on her face. “Your moms called. They all want you back home.” She added, causing all the kids to groan.

“Just one more hour!” Mike negotiated, practically begging to her. Nancy only shrugged.

“Tell that to your moms.” She said, crossing her arms together. The kids pouted, but finally relented. Nancy watched them as they climbed upstairs, Eleven being at the back of the line, still holding hands with Mike. When she and Nancy made eye contact, Nancy winked conspicuously before following her up.

What was _that?_

They met Mrs. Wheeler at the dining table, just about to prepare food for dinner. “Hi Mrs. Wheeler,” They chorused, earning a hi back from Mike’s mom and a smile.

“You better get going before your moms are starting to get anxious,” She said, kindly, to which the kids nodded and said their respective goodbyes to the Wheeler family.

Mike turned to El, scratching his head. “I... guess I’ll see you tomorrow at school?” He said, blushing. El smiled and blushed too, a familiar warm feeling decorating her insides. No matter how long she’d been with Mike, he always made her blush in every eye contact—the kind of blush that would make you smile in fondness long after.

“Okay,” El replied, softly. Mike smiled at her, subtly taking her hand in his in a silent gesture. _Promise._

“Actually, Jane,”

The two kids almost jumped in surprise at the interruption, whipping their heads to Mike’s mom and sisters, who were watching them. El’s blush deepened when she realized that Mrs. Wheeler and Nancy had probably seen their whole interaction. “I was thinking if you want to stay. For dinner.” Mrs. Wheeler offered, a welcoming smile plastered on her face.

“Oh!” El squeaked, surprised. She turned her head to the front door, where her friends had stopped halfway out. They froze, before slowly dissolving into snickers, elbowing one another and throwing El and Mike suggestive looks. Lucas, Dustin and Will made finger gun movements at Mike that El didn’t quite understand, and Max mouthed _“Good luck”_ at El with a grin. Before either Mike or El could say anything, the remaining party had already bolted off, screaming their farewells with higher pitch than usual.

Gulping, El looked back to Mike, who looked equally as confused as she was, then to Mrs. Wheeler, who was looking at her expectantly. _Dinner? With Mike’s Family?_ Sure, she’d hang out in their house couple of times, but it was always with the party, always... as a _friend._

“I... have to ask for H—dad’s permission.” She stuttered nervously.

“Mom already took the liberty and informed Chief Hopper that you’ll be here.” Nancy interjected, shooting a sly look to her brother. El caught Mike glaring at his sister. “You don’t have to worry about permissions.”

“Well,” El hoped her face wasn’t as red as she felt, “Okay, then.”

 “Great!” Mrs. Wheeler clapped in delight. “Ted is just going to get back from work any minute now, so you better get settled... Mike, pick up a spare chair from the living room, will you?”

“I’m on it, mom,” Nancy said instead, taking long strides to do the task given to her. When she passed the young couple, Nancy winked once more, the same conspicuous wink she gave El earlier at the basement. 

Mike and El, meanwhile, was still processing the whole turn of events. In her whole three years of knowing and, later on, dating Mike, El never really interacted with the Wheelers past polite greetings and ‘how are you’s—save it for Nancy. Her life was mostly consisted of hiding things or fighting things, and she was only properly introduced to the family as ‘ _Jane Hopper’_ not a longer than a year ago. To be invited to dinner was—it seemed like a huge step. Mike seemed to be thinking along the same line, because he was practically speechless at this point, looking at her with gaping mouth and incredulous eyes.

“Hey baby bro,” Nancy’s voice startled them, as she nudged Mike’s side with her hips. “Don’t just stand there, show your girlfriend where to sit.” She teased him with a grin, before putting the chair long the table.

“ _Nancy!”_ Mike fumed, looking at his sister in exasperation. Nancy laughed in response, and if Mrs. Wheeler heard anything, well, she had a good way of hiding it.

Mike turned, scratching the back of his head. “Come on,” He said, face beet red, He took her hand and led her to her seat, which was next to him. Nancy seemed to be busying herself on helping her mother, and El couldn’t help but to feel that she needed to help, too.

“Can I help you with anything, Mrs. Wheeler?” El offered, much to the older woman’s surprise.

“Oh, no, sweetie, it’s all done.” Said Mrs. Wheeler, waving a hand. “Maybe just help Nancy set the table to get us all settled and ready...”

El released Mike’s hand, throwing him a smile before immediately aiding Nancy in placing the plates and the silverware. “You really don’t have to do this,” Nancy said, trying to send her back to sitting. But El shrugged and continued anyway. By the corner of her eyes, she caught Mrs. Wheeler looking impressed at her, so she suppressed a smile and her heart felt lighter.

Once they were all set, everyone returned to their seats and fell into a quite awkward silence. When Mike caught his mother opening her mouth, wanting to say something, he immediately said, “Hey, El-I mean, Jane!” He squeaked, his hand flailing madly to his younger sister. “You haven’t been introduced to Holly yet, have you?” He grabbed Holly’s hand and practically yanked her from her seat, forcing the toddler to meet El’s hand. “Holly, Jane. Jane, Holly.”

“Aw, _Mike!”_ Holly whined, glaring at her brother. Mike glared right back at her.

El wanted to laugh. “It’s really nice to know you, Holly.” She said, softly. Holly turned her attention from his brother and to El. They had met a couple of times, given how many occasions El, along with the party, had spent playing on Mike’s basement, but either parties were too concerned with other things to care about one another. Holly with whatever her object of fascination was at the moment, and El with her friends. And Mike. Well, most of the time, with Mike.

“Mike is right. You’re really pretty,” Holly said, innocently.

“She is, isn’t she?” Mrs. Wheeler responded, and El blushed even more. Mike smiled at her nervously, apparently sharing the same shade of red as she had. “One of the prettiest girls I have ever seen.” She added, genuinely, and El just felt so _welcomed_ by the Wheeler matriarch.

They were startled by the sound of a horn, and soon after, a car engine, and Mrs. Wheeler’s smile faltered. “That would be your father,” She said, with what El could be identified as forced glee. She threw them a barely-there smile before rising from her seat to open the door. Mike’s hand unconsciously found El’s once more, under the table, and he gripped her tight for reassurance.

When Mrs. Wheeler came back, she was with the infamous Mr. Wheeler—the person El had barely seen in her almost frequent visits. Mike barely talked about him, too, always diverting the topic everytime anyone brought up his dad.

“Karen,” said Mr. Wheeler, looking surprised as he caught El. “We have a guest?”

“Oh, yeah, Ted, this is Jane Hopper,” Mrs. Wheeler waved a hand at El, while the girl in question gave him a nervous nod. “Michael’s—“

“Friend!” Mike immediately cut her mom, his tone panicky. “Friend,” he repeated, quieter this time, much to Nancy’s delight.

“You meant _girl_ friend.” Nancy interjected, throwing Mike a look.

“ _Nancy!”_

Ted Wheeler, meanwhile, was looking unfazed. “Hopper?” He asked, instead. “Like Jim Hopper, Hopper?”

“Um, yes,” El said, unconsciously straightening herself, “sir.” She added, after a while. “He’s my adoptive father.” She gave him an additional explanation.

Mr. Wheeler nodded as he took his place, directly across El. “I see.” He said, seemingly more interested at the food rather than the girl in front of him. Mrs. Wheeler gave him a dirty look.

“So, that’s everyone,” She immediately broke the tension, “Now, who’s hungry?” She asked, gesturing the kids to start taking the food. Mike immediately pointed at El which one was worth taking—which, by his definiton, is everything.

After tasting his mother’s cooking, El had to agree with him. “This is really delicious, Mrs. Wheeler.” She complimented Mike’s mother.

Mrs. Wheeler smiled in return, “Thank you, sweetheart,” She said in return. “So, Jane, Mike here is always talking about you lately,” the mother turned her smile to his second born, who looked baffled and mortified at the same time.

“I did not!” He vehemently denied, his scarlet cheeks betraying his statement.

“Did too,” El could hear both Nancy and Holly muttering under their breaths.

“So I’ve been dying to ask you...” Mrs. Wheeler cupped her chin on her palms. “How did you meet Mike?” She looked at her expectantly.

“Um,” El said, exchanging wary looks with Mike. Both of them had not anticipated to be questioned this early in their... whatever this was they were having, so they didn’t exactly come up with a mutual plot to prepare anything. And saying that ‘ _He found me and took me to your house and found out that I have telekinetic powers and am running from the government and monsters from alternate dimension so he hid me here for a week and we bonded_ ’, didn’t exactly sound either convincing or even sane. “We meet at the—“

“Mirkwood—“ Mike continued, “When chief Hopper brought her around to see the town, and she, erm—“

“fell from one of the rocks—“ El interjected, unhelpfully, realizing how ridiculous this story was going.

“so I helped her.” Mike finished, hastily. From the corner ofher eyes, El could see Nancy silently snickering, but Mrs. Wheeler seemed to buy the story right off, looking at them with bright eyes.

“Oh, that is so wonderful,” She said, clasping her hands together. “So, Jane, where are you from again?”

“Brooklyn,” Mike immediately replied, saving the day.

“Well, a city girl then,” Karen decided, “Do you like Hawkins, so far?” She asked, seeming to be genuinely interested in El’s reply.  Slowly, El nodded, one hand nervously playing with her curls, absent-mindedly.

“Yes, I love it,” El said, glad tat she didn’t have to lie about this one, “The people are very nice, and the school is very... interesting.” She decided. “I love studying here, the teachers are very attentive, and...” She looked at Mike, who was looking at her with his doe eyes, “Mike always helps.”

Mrs. Wheeler’s grin couldn’t get any bigger. “What’s your favorite subject, Jane?” She asked again.

“biology, history, english,” El beamed, feeling at ease. “I like memorizing things.”

“That’s really good to hear,” Said Mrs. Wheeler, kindly. “Are you doing well, in school? Do you have any trouble adjusting?”

“She’s actually really good at them,” Mike answered before El could reply. “Her first report card said she had straight As! How cool is that!” He grinned, looking at her proudly.

“Oh, really?” Mr. Wheeler surprised them all when he finally spoke. “Don’t you still have Bs in history, Mike?” He turned at his son, narrowing his eyes.

“Yeah, but—“

“and C in P.E.?”

Mike went quiet. Everybody went quiet.

“So it seems that _she’s_ the one that’s helping _you._ ” Ted Wheeler sighed, and somehow it didn’t sound nice at all. It sounded like an exasperated sentiment. “And that’s not what girls are supposed to do.”

El blinked, confused.

Mike clenched his fingers into a fist.

“Ahem,” Mrs. Wheeler cleared her throat, purposefully ignoring her husband. “Do you have anything in mind for college, Jane, dear?”

Despite both being only fifteen, Mike actually had taught her about the concept of higher education, explaining why Nancy was so excited when she received her acceptance letter from Yale. He then showed her so many different majors that she could choose, and explained to her that he wanted to take astrophysics. El actually took interest in reading them further when she was alone.

“I actually like reading about legal cases, especially those about children.” El started, slowly, eyeing Mr. Wheeler anxiously. “I’ll probably take law—“

“Ah, another one with an ambition.” Ted Wheeler sighed, averting his gaze to Nancy, whose smile had disappeared and whose fist was also clenched like her brother. “Like Nancy here.”

His tone didn’t reek positivity at all.

The rest of the dinner went rather awkwardly rushed, and when everything was finished and El had been helping Nancy and Mrs. Wheeler tidying the table, Mr. Wheeler called Mike to talk to him in private.

El could still hear them, though.

“...son, girls who are smarter than you aren’t exactly an ideal choice,”

“but—“

“Women shouldn’t be higher than men, son. Soon she’ll feel to powerful and start doing crazy things behind your back. look how you two are right now; she’s embarrassing you.”

“she’s—“

“I know, I know, you like her now. But think about it, son. Men is the always the leader of the team. Women shouldn’t be in the competition or it’ll ruin the whole game. We can’t have _two_ leaders.”

“ _dad!”_

“Plus, it’s a waste of time, look at your sister there. What is she going to do once she gets her diploma? Pursue another degree? She’s just going to spend our money—“

“At least it’s better than you using our cash for buying another version of the La-Z-Boy!”

“ _You watch your mouth, son!”_

The hushed banter continued, but El was too distraught to further listen. Mrs. Wheeler and Nancy exchanged looks, before eyeing El warily. She threw them a forced smile for reassurance, but her heart didn’t feel any better.

What did Mike’s dad mean, she’s _embarrassing_ him?

“I’m going to take El— _Jane_ , back. Tell Hopper he shouldn’t pick her up.” Said Mike, suddenly, storming from the living room. Grabbing El’s hand, he didn’t wait for his mother nor his sister to reply, rather directly heading out without looking back.

“Thank you for the dinner, Mrs. Wheeler!” El managed to say just right before they exited, and suddenly she was already at the customized, self-added back seat of Mike’s bike—which was now a full-grown adult size, considering how tall and lanky he was.

The trip back to her cabin was scarily fast; it was as if Mike was racing against something—or, perhaps, running. El’s hands hugged his waist tightly from behind as she buried her face to his back, tears at the brink of her eyes.

_Am I hurting you, Mike?_

When they arrived, finally, Mike was heaving. El tentatively got off the bike, before approaching him quietly. “Mike,” She said, “I’m sorry.” Her voice was hoarse, and her hand found his face and cupped it lightly.

Mike closed his eyes, taking her hand down softly and latched to it tight. “You didn’t do anything wrong, I just—“ He opened his eyes, smiling at her. She didn’t like this smile; he looked pained. “I don’t want to talk about it right now, okay?” He spoke quietly, their foreheads touching.

“Okay,” El nodded, gazing into his eyes. She wasn’t sure that she was convinced.

“It’s okay, El. I promise.” Said Mike, cupping her face. “I _promise.”_

“Promise.” El replied, quietly, placing her hands over his. She leaned in to kiss him softly, to which he reciprocated, before they broke apart. “Goodnight, Mike.”

He smiled, something much more genuine this time, and nodded. “Goodnight, El.”

* * *

 

But El didn’t have a good night. Or a good day after.

At school, she saw Mike again, and he smiled at her, but he didn’t stop down the hallway, instead rushing to his next class before she could stop him. Something in her stomach dropped, and El felt her throat tightened.

Max, apparently realizing this, immediately interrogated her in their first class. “Did you and Wheeler fight last night?” She asked with a hushed voice. El, too clouded by her own thoughts, jumped in surprise at Max’s question.

“I—“ She said, opening her mouth, then closing it, confused. “I don’t know.” She said, finally, fidgeting with her fingers. Her voice was quiet and she looked down to the table, avoiding eye contact with Max. “It’s nothing.”

“El.” Max said, peering on her. “Friends don’t lie, remember? You said that.” She said, patiently. “And honestly, I have been your deskmate for over a year now, you should give me some credits. I’ve seen your period stains, surely nothing could be worse.”

_“Max.”_ El said, exasperatedly. Max raised an eyebrow expectantly as a response. After an rather heavy silence, El finally broke. “I don’t think that Mike’s father likes me.” She whispered, her voice quivering.

“And how could you say that?” Asked Max, pressing on. El clasped her fingers together, taking deep breaths.

“Well, last night—“ El bit her lower lip, “There was something... coming up.” She tried to explain, but words ran out from her. “One thing led to another and he said—he said—“ El took a sharp breath, “Mr. Wheeler said that I was embarrassing Mike.” She finished, hastily.

“What?!” Max reacted so loud, some heads turned at their direction. It was pure luck that the teacher has yet to walk the classroom. “But _why?”_ she asked, incredulously.

“Well, he thinks that I’m,” El paused, “too smart, for Mike.”

Dumbfounded, Max needed several seconds to process that down.

“I’m sorry, _what?_ ” She finally spluttered. “that’s _not_ a _good_ thing?”

El sighed, shaking her head. “I don’t know.” She said, resting her chin over her palms. “This morning, Mike didn’t say hi at me.” She added, narrowing her eyes in worry. “Do you think—“

“Ah, ah,” Max said, waving a finger at El in alarm, “no need to get those depressive thoughts, El.” She said, patronizingly. But then El saw something flickering on her eyes, like Max was also thinking about something.

“What is it, Max?” she urged her, curiosity and anxiety plaguing through her system.

“Nothing,” Max defended herself with a hushed voice.

“Friends don’t lie, Max,” El said, repeating the words Max had just used on her earlier at their conversation. Max grumbled.

“Okay, I just—“ She shrugged, trying to act nonchalant, “I remember that my stepfather used to always say that girls shouldn’t try hard at being good in anything.” She said, quietly. “Because no one likes too-smart girls.” She finished, before adding hastily, “But my he’s stupid and his sentence is also stupid, so just—don’t worry about it, okay?”

Eleven’s stomach twisted into knots, and she forced herself to gulp the bitterness down her dry throat.

* * *

 

When lunch break came, Mike still hadn’t properly talked to her. Sure, he smiled and laughed with with you at the table when hearing Dustin’s jokes, and replied to Will’s banters, but he actively avoided eye contact with El.

“What’s up with you and Mike?” Lucas asked her when Mike finally left early, making poorly drawn excuses before bolting right off.

El wanted to bury herself on the ground, but she latched onto Max instead.

After school, however, she was surprised to find Nancy racing to her side, practically heaving. “El, Max,” She said, when they were within earshot. “Do you think that I can talk with you for a second?”

“Um,” El exchanged looks with Max. The boys weren’t done for another fifteen minutes, and both girls didn’t exactly have a plan on filling their time while waiting for them... “Sure, Nancy.” She said, unsure.

“Good.” Nancy sighed in relief. “Okay, good,” She led them to the corner of the school, near the parking lot. El was getting anxious by each step, different scenarios plaguing over her head. Would Nancy tell her that Mike doesn’t like her anymore? Would she tell her to stop seeing Mike?

“Look, about last night,” Nancy said, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’m sorry, about my dad.” She smiled, apologetically. “That was literally insensitive and rude for him to say those things.”

“It’s okay,” El said, slowly, not completely sure sure where she was going.

“No, it’s not.” Nancy said, looking at El incredulously. “Listen, El, he said those things to me, like, all the time. ‘ _Don’t get too smart, Nancy, or no boys would want you’_ or, ‘ _Girls shouldn’t have too high GPAs because it’s a waste of time’._ I held to his words for _life._ ” Nancy clenched her fist in front of the girls to make a point.

“He always praised Mike’s grades if his were straight As, but would frown at mine for the same reason. I used to think that as a girl, being smart isn’t normal. That we shouldn’t desire to study more, to learn more, to know more because it isn’t our place. It took me _years_ to get out from that mindset, and I don’t want you to get stuck into the same prison as I did.” She said, grabbing El’s hand and gently shaking it. “My dad was wrong, El. A smart girl is a good thing. It makes you know things, it makes you see from different perspectives, and it makes you helpful to others who don’t know things that you do.” She told the girls, softly.

“But what if people hate me for being a smart girl?” El asked, shakily. The memory of Mike practically ignoring her this morning resurfaced, causing stings on her chest.

“Then you shouldn’t bother with them.” Nancy said, with a kind smile. “Sweetheart, when you have to water yourself down for someone else just to make them like you, believe me, that someone isn’t worth it.” She punctuated each word, “You’re brilliant, and amazing, and beatiful, _both_ of you,” Nancy turned to Max, her expression solemn, “And for the people who refuse to see that, well, it’s their loss.” She waved a hand to herself, “I mean, look at me, taking gap year before going to Yale, being a junior teacher right after graduating. Some boys can only _dream_ of what I can do.” She chuckled, trying to uplift El’s spirit. “And I got a boyfriend; a supportive, understanding boyfriend that cheers on each of my ambition without hesitation. Being a smart girl is _good,_ El.”

Nancy said it with such conviction, El had no other choice but to start believing in her. “Okay.” She said, slowly. Max echoed the sentiment, and Nancy smiled widely.

“Good girls.” Nancy ruffled El’s curls and grinned at Max. “Okay, that said, let’s get back up front. Pretty sure that your my lovesick brother has been waiting for you to appear for ages.” Nancy winked again, and El wanted to laugh at her weird winking face, if she didn’t remember how distant Mike was with her earlier this day.

“Mike didn’t want to talk to me.” El said, frowning. “he’s been avoiding me all day.”

Nancy sighed and blew a strand of hair away from her face. “That little turd is probably just confused.” She said, apologetically, “trust me, if there’s anything he likes more than physics and D&D, it’s you, El.” She smiled, giving El a little boost of reassurance.

True to Nancy’s prediction, the boys had been waiting for them near the bike parking lot. “Where have you two been? We’ve been waiting for you for so long!” Dustin whined at the very sight of them.

“Sorry boys, we were just having girls time.” Nancy replied cheekily, causing the boys to react in surprise at her appearance. “Now if you’ll excuse me,” She smiled at the girls and made quite an impressive eyebrow arch directed to her brother, who replied with a _‘what?’_ kind of face. Nancy sighed and shook her head dramatically, before waving at the kids goodbye.

“What was that all about?” Dustin asked, turning to the girls with curiosity.

Max just shrugged, inching herself closer to Lucas, who was already standing by his bike. “Like she said, girls time.” She grinned. “Now come on, let’s head back.” She tilted her head to the bike while simultaneously giving Lucas a look, one he replied with an eyeroll.

“Man, I don’t know why I put up with you, Madmax.” He said as he settled on the seat and Max behind him. The boys also followed in suit, save it for El, who eyed Mike nervously as he sat on his bike.

“You like me, Stalker.” Max replied with sass, much to their friend’s laughter.

But Mike was silent. Instead, he looked at El warily. “El,” He said, tentatively. “Are you not going to ride behind me?” He asked.

El was startled at this, before immediately scrambling to her rightful spot. “Sorry.” She mumbled to his back, soaking his warmth into her body.

“Ah, young love,” Said Dustin, nudging Will dramatically. “You guys are so sweet to each other I might lose my teeth again to cavity.” He told Will, and got a laugh for a response.

The Party started biking together, before finally separating at their respective directions. Mike, of course, would always first drive El to her cabin in the woods before going back home himself. They spent the first few minutes in comfortable silence, just enjoying each other’s presence before finally, finally El broke it.

“Mike,” She said, “are you angry at me?”

“What?” She could hear Mike scoffing at the front. “Why would you even say that?”

El felt a heavy burden had been lifted off her chest. “You didn’t talk to me today at school.” She said, quietly. “I thought you hated me.”

Mike halted his bike off so quick they nearly fell of. “El, If there is anything,” He turned his head and said solemnly, “anything, that I am incapable of, it’s hating you.” He said, releasing one hand from the handler to reach hers, intertwining their fingers together.

“Then why didn’t you talk this morning?” El asked, softly.

His determination fell off, and he looked to the ground. “I—just,” He said, awkwardly, “I’m angry at myself.” He finally concluded. “I just feel that I’m not good enough for you.” The way he said it made El’s heart broke. “I mean, I’m not popular, I’m not strong, I’m not even _that_ smart compared to you, like dad said. You literally deserve someone better than I am.” He said, trying to retract their laced hands.

El gripped his tightly when she felt that Mike was pulling away. “I don’t need someone better.” She spoke, softly, “I have you, Mike.” She brought his knuckle into her lips and kissed it, a light, feathery peck that made Mike’s heart flutter. “You’re brave, and kind, and patient, and loyal, and that’s even better than best. That’s _perfect._ ” She said, firmly believing every word she uttered.

Mike was taken aback by this, looking at her with incredulous eyes and reddening cheeks. “Are you—are you sure?” He said, warily.

El smiled and embraced him from behind, resting her chin over his shoulder. Their joined hands still connected as she said, “I’ve never been more sure.”

Mike grinned like a child being told that Christmas had came early, before resuming his pedalling, this time filling their journey with talks, from everything to nothing.

When they finally arrived at Hopper’s cottage, Mike helped El down before crushing her into a hug, a silent thank you gesture that made El’s chest filled with joy. In return, El reached up to pull his face and kissed him full on the mouth, grinning the whole time.

“You two done smooching yet?”

Hopper’s voice forcefully separated the two young lovers, causing them to jump in surprise. The sherriff was conveniently sitting on his front porch, cleaning his glock for all the world to see. El cocked an eyebrow at her father while Mike gulped, waving the chief of police an awkward hello/farewell.

“Yeah, um,” He turned to El, who was looking at him expectantly. “See you tomorrow.”

El forgot about Hopper’s glares, or Mr. Wheeler’s snide remarks, and just focused on him. “See you tomorrow.”

* * *

 

“Jane.”

It was a week later, after another campaign of D&D, when Mrs. Wheeler once again called her. El paused, exchanging looks at Mike, before turning at his mother. “Yes, Mrs. Wheeler?” She replied, politely.

“Come here,” She gestured the girl to follow her, past the dining room and to the lounge, where Mrs. Wheeler then crouched in front of one of the bookshelves and pulled out a book, still neatly packaged.

At the front cover, it read, _Law 101; A Guide to Understand Origins, Purposes, and Cases of Law for Beginners._

“Here is for you,” Said Mrs. Wheeler, smiling as she gave El the book. “Ted bought it last year for casual reading but never actually got around to do it, so I think it’s going to have a better use with you—“

The rest of her sentence was curbed when El practically threw herself at the woman, hugging her tightly. “Thank you,” El mumbled, her voice muffled by Karen Wheeler’s clothes.

Slowly, Karen returned the hug, feeling better than she had been in all week. “You’re welcome, sweetheart.”


End file.
